Argos turned two seasons around in Regina

Members of the Toronto Argonauts celebrated after claiming the 100th Grey Cup with their win over the Calgary Stampeders.

Photograph by: Colleen De Neve
, Calgary Herald

REGINA -- Not so long ago, the notion of a Toronto Argonauts championship season seemed only slightly more plausible than David Petraeus being named husband of the year.

Rewind to Oct. 19, when a 44-32 loss to the feckless Winnipeg Blue Bombers left the Argonauts to lament a three-game losing streak -- with all three defeats coming at home -- and a 7-9 record.

Complicating matters, the Argonauts were destined for frigid Regina, where they could expect a suitably chilly reception from the gallery at Mosaic Stadium.

But it turned out that the Roughriders, in particular, were in the midst of a cold snap.

A 31-26 loss to the Argonauts on Oct. 27 was the third consecutive setback in a Rider slide that eventually swelled to five games. The Boatmen, meanwhile, were in the process of righting the ship.

"The turning point was when we went to Regina," Argonauts head coach Scott Milanovich told the Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan Friday -- two days before his team defeated the Calgary Stampeders 35-22 in the 100th Grey Cup.

"It was a tough atmosphere. Very few people thought we were going to win that game. It was cold, and we were (supposedly) the guys from Toronto who could not play in cold weather.

"I could feel our confidence growing after that game, on the flight home. I don't know that I feel like the guys ever doubted after that."

The Roughriders had every reason to feel confident during a flight home from Toronto. On Oct. 8, the Green and White had observed Thanksgiving Day by defeating the host Argonauts 36-10. The score actually flattered the Argonauts, who could not approach the pace at which Saskatchewan was performing.

At that point, the Roughriders boasted an 8-6 record, and five victories over a six-game span. They were tied with Calgary for second place in the West Division. Riderville was abuzz over the possibility of a home playoff game, just one year after Saskatchewan had finished dead last in the CFL with a 5-13 record.

Yet, Roughriders head coach Corey Chamblin was not particularly pleased.

"I'm not satisfied with the defence," Chamblin said shortly after the victory in Toronto. "The offence did a good job of putting points up on the board, but the defence has a ways to go. The guys always say they want to be a No. 1 defence, but they have a ways to go to do that."

The performance of the defence would soon change, but not for the better. Saskatchewan surrendered 30 or more points in four of the next five games -- including a 36-30 loss to the host Stampeders in the West Division semifinal.

A measure of solace could be derived from the four touchdown passes thrown by Darian Durant -- whose final scoring pass, with 52 seconds left in the fourth quarter, had helped the Roughriders assume a fragile 30-29 lead -- or from the fact that Saskatchewan threw a scare into the eventual division champion.

But the bottom line is winning, and the Roughriders were incapable of attaining the desired goal beyond Oct. 8.

For the next 19 days, Saskatchewan's record was superior to that of Toronto. When that changed, so did the Argos. The victory in Regina was the catalyst for a five-game winning streak, culminating in Sunday's systematic dismantling of the Stampeders. The Argonauts received a major boost from quarterback Ricky Ray, who missed 15-plus quarters with a knee injury before returning for the aforementioned game against Winnipeg. After that forehead-slapper of a loss, Ray and the Argos enjoyed a five-game roll, followed by some champagne.

The Roughriders' final five games are also resonating, but for different reasons. An untimely regression turned a breakthrough season -- which seemed to be the likeliest scenario when Saskatchewan sported an 8-6 slate -- into one in which the Roughriders made incremental progress despite enduring two five-game losing streaks.

Once the Roughriders improved to 8-6, their winning edge disappeared. Given the virtual certainty of a playoff berth, they stopped performing with a sense of urgency. When their participation in the playoffs was finally confirmed, it was because another team -- Calgary -- did them a favour by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The Argonauts demonstrated more resolve, arresting a tailspin by winning their final two regular-season games and all three playoff contests.

Accordingly, a Grey Cup victory parade is to be held Tuesday in Toronto. Meanwhile, back in Saskatchewan, it is next-year country once again.